The Spaces Between Your Fingers
by Bohemian Anne
Summary: Nothing on earth could come between them...except death row.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

That smell. It wasn't like any other smell Rose had ever come in contact with. It had a mixture of smells in it. The smell of blood...the smell of fear...the smell of death...the smell of murder. She shuddered, pulled her coat closer around her flesh, and continued walking.

It was like a dream…no, like a nightmare. The worst nightmare Rose had ever or would ever witness. Tears were slowly falling from her green eyes.

_This can't be happening. _Those were the four words that were tumbling through Rose's mind as she was seated on a cold metal bench.

11:47.

_This can't be happening._

She saw Amelia come through the door, red-eyed and hysterical. She sat next to Rose and squeezed her hand. Nothing could make these two women feel better. Nothing could be worse than losing your husband and your only child. Nothing.

The next people to walk in were people Rose vowed to never look at again, yet she couldn't help but stare. Nathan Hockley and his wife, Daniella, sat on the other side of the bench, not taking one look at Rose or Amelia.

Rose could still feel the screams from outside that she had heard on her way in.

"Fry Jack Dawson!"

"An eye for an eye!"

The only sound now was the weeping of a soon-to-be childless mother...that is, until the sound of chains dragging against the floor came into play.

"Oh, my God," Rose whispered.

Then they saw him. It seemed impossible to Rose that this weak, sick-looking creature could be the man she fell in love with years ago. "Jack," she gasped.

He looked Rose straight in the eyes. He mouthed the words, "I love you."

Rose turned her head as they began to strap Jack into the chair, unable to watch as her greatest love was prepared to die. She quickly glanced over at the Hockleys. What did she? Smiles. Smiles were spread across their faces. Their son's death would soon be avenged.

It took Rose all of her strength not to lose it right then and there. She needed to be strong...for Jack.

The red phone that was about four feet away from Jack was Rose's only hope to save him from this cruel and unfair death. There was nothing else to do except pray. _God, please...save Jack_.

A tall man with a mustache asked Jack, "Do you have any last words, Mr. Dawson?"

Jack nodded. "Mr. and Mrs. Hockley...I have one thing and one thing only to say to you." He looked them both in the eye with eyes of stone. Rose had hoped he'd stay strong, but Jack began to break down into tears. Nobody could blame him. "I didn't...I..." He seemed to be getting caught on his words. "I...I didn't kill your son. I will leave this earth with a clear conscience."

He looked at his fifty-year-old mother. "Mom, all I've ever wanted was for you to believe in me. But you could never do that." His tears were falling like rain. "Someday they'll prove my innocence and the pain that you'll feel will just about be equal to what I feel at this moment in time."

Amelia just about fell off the bench, but Rose held her by the arm. "I love you, son," she whispered.

"I love you, too," Jack said. As much as he hated his mom at that moment...he couldn't have the last words he'd ever say to her be hateful.

And then...there was Rose. "Rose..." He couldn't help but smile weakly at just the sound of her name, despite the situation. "I love you. Rose, you know I didn't do it. And I think you're the only person in this world who believes I'm innocent." He blew her a kiss. "I will see you on the other side, my love." He looked at her one last time. "Never let go."

Rose got up from her seat and lunged herself at the window that was separating them. It was all like a movie in slow motion.

"I love you, Jack! Jack...please...I love you!" Two guards came at her and pulled her away, with her kicking and screaming violently. "Jack! Jack!" Her whole body seemed to be thrashing around in the guard's arms. "Jack! Don't leave me! Jack...please...don't!"

"Never let go." Would these be the last words he'd ever say?

Jack closed his eyes, his last image being that red phone. _Ring. Please ring!_


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

"Let me go!" Rose screamed, trying her hardest to push Cal off of her. "I told you...it's over."

"It'll be over when I say it's over." Cal slapped her, as hard as he could, across the face. "You little slut." He began unbuttoning her pink blouse, determined to take what he believed was his. "You're just a fucking slut."

Rose seemed to be numb with pain. She had remained a virgin throughout her and Cal's four-month relationship. She had called him the previous morning to tell him it was over. She could only take so much of an abusive relationship. Cal had pretended it was okay, that he understood, and that all he wanted was to talk. She actually believed him.

"Help!" Rose screamed. She threw her hand at the horn of his car. It barely made a noise. All it really did was make Cal even angrier than he already was.

"This body is mine." He rubbed his hands up and down her flesh. "These arms are mine...these tits are mine!" He roughly moved his mouth from her lips to her breasts.

"Somebody...please...help me!"

"Shut the fuck up, you dirty little bitch." Another slap across the face. He put his hands around her neck, strangling her, trying to make her stay quiet.

He pulled down her pants and shoved his fingers deep inside of her. "Do you like that, Rose?" He gave her an evil smile. "Let's see how my big cock will fit in there, huh? Would you like that? Fucking virgin!"

Just as he was about to enter her, the driver's side door opened.

"What the..." Cal almost shot out of his seat. He turned around and saw a blond-haired man looking down at him.

"Leave her alone!" The man pulled Cal out of the car by his shirt and punched him across the face. As soon as Cal hit the ground, the young man looked inside the car again. "Are you okay?" Rose nodded, tears still in her eyes. "Let's get you out of here."

As the unknown hero began helping Rose out of the car, he felt somebody pull him onto the ground.

Rose heard sirens in the distance.

As the police got there, they broke up the fight piece by piece and tried to get the truth from the story.

"My girlfriend and I were just driving along when this maniac opens the door, throws me out of the car, and tries to rape my girlfriend!" Cal pointed at Rose. "Look what he did to her!"

Jack shook his head. "No, officer...I saved her from him!"

The four cops looked over at the troubled girl. "What happened, miss?"

"He tried to rape me!" She pointed at Cal. "He was hitting me...he was..." As she again broke down into tears, one of the officers placed a blanket around her and told her they would call her parents. "He tried to kill me! He was strangling me!" Rose managed to get out.

Officer Tanner nudged his boss in the arm. "Are we gonna take him in?"

He nodded. "Yes, Tanner. Would you look at this woman? Justice must be done here, son."

"Don't you know who that is?" Tanner asked.

Officer Storms looked at the rapist. Of course he knew who he was. Caledon Hockley...the son of the mayor of Houston, Texas.

As they began to handcuff Cal, he looked at Jack and said, "You will pay for this!" He looked back at Rose. "Both of you!" Cal seemed oblivious to the Miranda Rights being read to him.

One of the cops shoved him into the backseat of the squad car. "Get in there!" The officer could smell the alcohol on his breath. He knew that the mayor's only son was only nineteen years old.

As Officer Storms walked over to the young woman, his heart broke. Cal had torn off most her clothes, so most of her body was exposed. He could see the dark bruises covering her body. The young man who had saved her was being questioned by one of the other cops.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Officer Storms asked Rose.

She nodded. "Don't let him get away with this."

Professional, as always, Officer Storms laid a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I'm gonna do all I can."


End file.
